Dunwoody Police: Scammers Use Good Cause to Steal

It's a noble cause - sending care packages to military men and women. But Dunwoody police said a group of scammers twisted that cause to steal from people.

Eight people - seven men and a woman - were arrested Friday in a Dunwoody neighborhood near Mt. Vernon Road.

Sergeant Tim Fecht showed FOX 5 News marketing materials, which included patriotic themes and military logos. Police said the scammers were knocking on doors and stating they were with a company called Care Package Campaign.

Fecht said they were trying to scam people by telling them they were raising money to send care packages to service members overseas.

He said suspicious residents called police almost immediately after the scammers fanned out in the neighborhoods.

Dunwoody residents Shawn and Kimberly Jenks said they were appalled the door-to-door solicitors came to their neighborhood to steal in the name of the military.

They were also concerned the efforts of the scammers would hurt legitimate non-profits who do legitimately collect for service members.

Dunwoody police identified the people arrested as Christopher O'Brien, Caitlin Webster, James Tuttle, Tony Peeples, Terrance Johnson, Joseph White and Vincent Burke. All were charged with disorderly conduct and solicitation, which are misdemeanors.

Dunwoody police are trying to determine if other parts of metro Atlanta were also targeted by the scammers.